The Tree Of Light
by The Fabulous Frazzle
Summary: (Warning! Contains Spoilers for book 7! Read at own risk!) After Icicle was returned home, Glacier asked what her freedom would cost, and after careful thought, Glory had the perfect idea. a particular seed, from a particular tree, that was impossible to get without an Icewings help. One that would bring something amazing to the forest, the gift of light.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Wings of Fire or any characters within it**

 **(Warning! Contains some spoilers for Wings of fire book 7, read at own risk!)**

"Just because you're queen doesn't mean you can be late whenever you want to….." Deathbringer called over

his shoulder as he waited outside Glory's throne room.

"Dont worry, I'm coming….." Was the only reply he could get, especially this early in the morning.

 _One minute….. Two minutes… Five minutes…_ He counted in his head, getting more nervous as every

second passed. Then, in a flash of green, She was there.

"Took you long enough….." Deathbringer said with a mischievous smile dodging a swat from her wing.

"A Queen moves at her own pace…" Glory said, cracking a sly grin. "Now, time to go….."

They flew through the trees, back and forth through the vines and bushes. Finally they came to the edge of the

jungle, where several other Rainwings waited, ready to undertake their mission.

"You all know why you're here, correct?" Glory asked the dragons around her. "Please don't tell me you've

forgotten already?" She added after a moment of silence.

"Uhhhhh… Maybe?" A yellow and blue Rainwing near her answered. "Perhaps you should just re brief us?... Just in case"

"Of course…... " Glory sighed. "Remember a while back, when we captured that really evil Icewing? Icicle?"

A chorus of nods told her to continue,

"Well, after we captured her, Queen Glacier asked what her punishment would be, and what the price was for

her freedom."

Again, another flurry of nods

Glory continued "Well, I decided that Icicles punishment was up to her queen, but, for her return I had an idea.

Stories had reached my ears of a animus touched tree, that gave the Icewings the gift of light."

The nods had begun to slow, and were turning into looks of confusion, so she finished quickly.

"So in exchange for Icicle, I asked for a seed from the tree, so that it may grow here, and bring light to the deep

parts of the forest….." After that, she noticed that she lost most of them.

"Just protect me and the seed when we get it." Glory said, getting a bit fed up. And as she said it, the nods

returned and she calmed down.

"Well, let's get a move on…." Deathbringer said, moving closer to her. "We don't want to keep Glacier

waiting….."

He was right, Glory hated it when he was right.

"Ok, let's go." She said starting forward, and one by one the other Rainwings did too. But Deathbringer preferred

to be right by her side, at all times.

"Maybe you should have stayed in the Rainforest, you never know what might happen….." Glory said

looking forward, assuming Deathbringer was in his usual place.

"You never know what might happen on this journey! The forest is safe enough with Grandeur in charge…"

Deathbringer countered, not wanting her to send him back yet. "Besides, we'll only be gone a day or two,

probably less if we keep up this pace."

"I guess you're right…. Again… But I'm not comfortable leaving the forest alone, without you or me there…"

"It's not alone!" Deathbringer said again. "Grandeur is there with a army of able Rainwings protecting the village

as we speak. I promise there is nothing to worry about…"

"Well, nevermind." Glory continued "Let's just get back before something bad does happen." And with that she

took off ahead, not wanting to hear his response. Ever since she had heard that a certain pair of unsavoury

Nightwings had escaped from Thorns prison, she was a little on edge. _But what harm can two Dragonets do?_

 _Especially when they've got an army's worth of Sandwings searching for them?_ glory reassured

herself, remembering the task at hand. "The meeting place is less than a day's flight from here if we hurry, so pick

up the pace!" Glory called to her guard of Rainwings as they began to fall behind. Glory looked forward as the

rest of the party caught up, _All we need to do is get it, secure it, and bring it home, that doesn't sound so hard…_

She thought, but there was this sinking feeling that just wouldn't leave, just sitting in the back of her head. Its ok.

 _Everything will be fine….. I hope….._


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the journey there seemed uneventful, but as they crossed the desert to the borders of the ice

kingdom Glory couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them from within the sand, observing their

movements.

"Does something feel… Odd?" She asked Deathbringer, who of course, was still by her side.

"No? c'mon stop worrying so much, besides, we're almost there." He said, looking forward as the desert began to

disappear behind them.

"I'm sorry, it just seems too… Quiet." She whispered the last part, suddenly not wanting to break the silence.

For the next while the only sound that could be heard was the steady hum of wingbeats. after a while, the sun

began to sink below the horizon, and in the distance a small stone building could be seen. Just a dot on the

landscape, but it was an important one.

"There's the meeting place" Deathbringer broke the heavy silence, "Looks like Glaciers already there…."

As they drew closer Glory could see it too, several icewing soldiers surrounded the building, watching them as

they approached.

"Hopefully she wasn't here for that long, don't want to run into any….. trouble" Glory muttered as she drew

closer.

The Icewings stepped aside as Glory landed in front of the entrance. "Maybe you should wait here…" She

said as she turned to Deathbringer.

"And leave you alone in there with a VERY scary Icewing? I dont think so. Besides, the rest of the guards can

keep watch…." And with a flick of his tail, all of the rainwings that had at one moment been behind him, were

gone, watching from some unknown position.

"Let's get what we came here for…." Glory said as she headed for the door, followed by Deathbringer. When

they approached, one of the Icewings stepped to the side and opened the door to let them enter, and after they

had bundled inside, it shut behind them limiting the light that could illuminate the hallway that stretched in front of

them.

It seemed colder in here, but then again, the Icewing queen probably wouldn't want to be stuck waiting in

some hot, stone building. They came to the end of the hallway to where it opened up into a spacious room that

looked as if the walls had been covered in a layer of ice. And as Glory peered closer, she noticed that it was. A

thin layer of transparent ice covered the walls and floor, making it feel like a fridge, obviously made to keep the

queen the middle of the room, sat a very annoyed looking Icewing. She was huge! and…. Sparkly.

A few rays of light were able to filter through several small windows in the wall, reflecting on her scales.

"You're late." Said a voice that after a moment Glory recognized as Glaciers. The icewing sat up, and stared at

the two new arrivals.

"We didn't mean to keep you waiting, and we are sorry for any inconvenience….." Deathbringer said, before

Glory could reply.

"Well you're here now. I guess you want what you came for…" Glacier said, as she took a small bearskin pouch

from somewhere behind her, and then she opened it to show the contents.

Inside, the small pouch was lined with ice, just like the walls of the room they were in, but thicker and

covering the ice was a layer of snow.

 _Padding….._ Glory thought as she inspected the contents. Sitting in the soft layer of snow, was what she had

come all this way for. A small bud, that looked, and was made out of complete ice.

"It's beautiful….." Glory said, taking a closer look. She jumped back as the pouch was shut, and then quickly

handed to her.

"I assume that you know how to take care of it? I don't want something this valuable going to waste…."

"Wel-" Glory tried to say, but was cut off again.

"Don't worry, we've had our best dragons making preparations. Everything's ready for it's arrival…."

Deathbringer said, trying to reassure Glacier, and have her forget the risks.

"Well then. We're done here." Glacier said quickly, before sweeping out of the room and down the hallway. As

Glory and Deathbringer followed, they emerged from the door just in time to see the rest of the Icewing guards

winging away back to their kingdom.

"Well, now we've just got to get it back safely….." Glory said, looking off to where the desert would sit in between

them and the Rainforest.

"Don't worry." Deathbringer said, leaning closer to her. "We got here fine, we'll get back fine…."

"I hope you're right." Glory said, looking at the pouch she held. "When we do, this will all be worth it…."


	3. Chapter 3

"We should stop and rest….." Deathbringer called to Glory as they flew. The building where they had met

Glacier was far behind them now, and Queen thorns palace loomed ahead.

"I don't see why we have to stop…" Glory said, shooting a look at him over her shoulder. "We could just fly

straight home and be there before noon….."

"Yes, but we would fall asleep half way there. It won't hurt to stop for the night and stay with Thorn. She'll

probably like the company, and she'll want to hear all about the academy…." Deathbringer droned on listing all

the positive reasons to stop for the night.

"Ok, ok. We'll do it your way. But if the forest is ruled by nightwings when we get back, I'm blaming you…."

"Hmmmff" Deathbringer snorted, turning his attention back to his flying. "Stop being stressed, we'll be home soon

enough….".

"well, not as quickly as I would like…" Glory finished, as they drew ever closer to the palace gates.

A troop of Sandwings came to meet them as they landed outside the entrance. "Welcome to Queen

thorns palace" Said the one who led the group. "My name is Sixclaws, I will escort you to the her majesty…." He

continued as he turned and headed through the palace gates, followed by Glory, Deathbringer and the rest of

their Bodyguards.

After what seemed like traversing the endless halls of the sandwing palace, they finally came to a grand

throne room, where Thorn sat waiting for her guests.

"Welcome! Oh how nice it is to finally have someone to talk to! So, tell me about this important mission you've

been so keen on…." Thorn started immediately.

"Obviously she doesn't have many people to talk to all the time…." Deathbringer whispered to Glory, but Thorn

was able to overhear.

"Well, I do have lot's of people to talk to, all my subjects, my generals, but it gets boring hearing the same story

over and over. 'Oh you're the greatest queen. Oh everything's safe and peaceful….' But now I hear that

something important is happening, so tell me more….." Thorn look straight at them as she asked, genuinely

curious.

So Glory began to describe how they had come to receive the gift from Glacier. Excusing her guards, who

all found places to sleep except Deathbringer, who of course stayed by her side the entire time. Thorn

listened, taking note of all the events of their journey. From the incident with Icicle to the meeting with The

queen of the Icewings.

"Well, it sounds like you all have had quite a time. You must be tired from all that flying. Here, my guards will

escort you to your quarters…." And with that, one of the Sandwing soldiers started down the hallway, beckoning

for them to follow. When they had safely reached their rooms, Glory looked around. Her room consisted of a

large window and a fur covered bed. She noticed a mirror on one of the walls and only then realized how tired

she actually looked. Then she collapsed on her bed, falling into a deep sleep. Deathbringer had wanted to stay

guard outside himself for a while, Glory didn't understand why. But she didn't argue. If he wanted to stand out

there all night, that was his choice.

 _The night was quiet. Too quiet…._ Deathbringer thought as he stood guard outside the queen's door.

Some other dragons had started to stir as the sun rose above the horizon

"Maybe I should wake her up, we need to start early….." He was cut off from a scream that came from Glory's

room. He rushed inside to see Glory desperately searching the bed and the room around her. Then as she

noticed that Deathbringer had come in, she turned to him and said.

"IT'S GONE!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Gone? What's gone?" Deathbringer asked, too tired to comprehend.

"The seed. It was right here the entire time! What could have happe…" The sudden truth dawned on her.

"What is it?" Deathbringer asked, starting to realise what was really happening.

"The window….." Glory said, looking at the section where a large window looked out over the palace grounds.

"Someone must have stolen it through the window….. But who? Surely Thorn wouldn't send one of her guards to

do such a thing…"

"Well, let's ask her. If someone did steal it, it's no good sitting around here thinking about it." Deathbringer

suggested.

"Ok, let's go see if we can find her….." Glory said, letting the words trail behind her as she swept out the door,

heading in the direction that she thought the throne room would be in.

After getting lost several times, and asking for directions twice, they finally came to the place they had

been seeking. Thorn stood by a table covered in maps, that looked to be charts of the desert and the Scorpion

Den.

"Queen thorn?" Glory asked as they approached.

"Oh? Just call me thorn, it gets a bit annoying if you ask me. So, sleep well I hope?" Asked thorn as the turned

away from the table.

"Yes, fine. But we have a problem. The seed that I was carrying with me… It's gone…." Glory said, starting to

worry that something terrible had happened to it.

"Gone? Are you sure? It may just be lost in your room somewhere…." Thorn said, thinking about all the possible

places it may be hidden.

"No, I checked everywhere. Someone must have taken it. While I was sleeping" Glory answered, hoping Thorn

might have any idea.

"Hmmm….. Someone may have snuck into the palace at night. Even though I doubt that. And stole it thinking it

was a jewel? Something they could sell at a good price….." Thorn said, thinking of a way to check that theory.

"Well, I have an idea…." Glory said. "I think we should take a visit to the black market….."

"Are you serious?" Deathbringer said, not taking her suggestion very seriously.

"Yes. I'm dead serious. If you had stolen a precious stone where would you go to make a bit of profit?" Glory

said, forming a strategy in her head.

"Ok, I see your point, but can't we just send some of Thorns soldiers? They would probably be a lot less obvious

than a Rainwing walking straight through the crowd basically screaming 'Oh I'm just queen of the Rainwings

being non suspicious….' Besides, it might be dangerous….." Deathbringer said, not wanting to let her go alone.

"You know perfectly well that I can take care of myself. Besides, I can do this….." Glory Said, shifting her scales

to almost match thorns, Even coloring the tip of her tail to try and mimic the barb. "See. I think that this is a lot

less conspicuous than a scary looking Nightwing or Sandwing guard going around and asking questions…."

Glory was finally able to convince Deathbringer to let her go alone. But not without one or two Sandwings and

Rainwings following in secret.

In the market, the noise was the first thing that she noticed. Glory had grown accustomed to the quiet of

the Rainforest, the subtle humming and buzzing of the bees. But this was almost overwhelming. Sandwings,

Skywings, Mudwings, and even one or two Icewings (Who looked as if they might die of overheating any second)

Were all shouting. Advertising, trying to get your attention. Each voice seeming as if it were trying to be louder

than the first. But Glory tried to drown it all out. She didn't get as many funny looks as she thought as she walked

through the crowd. But in all this commotion, she found it hard to notice anything.

Thorn had given her one possible spot where she might have some luck. A local tavern. Called the Sober

Sandwing. Apparently, many black market dealers worked out of there. Because it was easier to "Converse"

With their customers. Now, it was Glory's destination. She entered and at once realized this might not be as good

of an idea as she thought. It was dark, smoky, and full, of other dragons. Most of them, she noticed, were silent.

Looking down, or sitting in corners whispering to others near them. A few gave her searching looks as the walked

in and passed them.

"Who looks like they may be selling a stolen diamond….." She thought. Then, she noticed a shady Sandwing

motioning for her to come over to him. When she got close enough, he began.

"Would I be able to interest a pretty little thing like you with a pretty little thing?" He asked in a sly voice, showing

a small ruby in his claws

"Maybe….." Glory said, trying to sound sneaky and interested. "But what I was really looking for was a white one,

one that looks just like ice….." She whispered, looking around, making sure nobody was listening in.

"Then I might know who you need to talk to…" The Sandwing said, motioning to dark figure in the corner. the

figure looked small, and encased with shadow, almost as if her scales were… Glory's thoughts were cut off as

she approached. Focusing on the task at hand.

"He said you might have something I'm looking for…." Glory asked the shadowy dragon, flicking her tail in the

direction where the other dragon had been. But when she looked back he was gone.

"Oh, I think I have exactly what you want….." The figure said, sticking its face out of the shadows.

Glory stepped back when she saw the black scales against the torchlight. and as she turned to look for an

escape route, she ran right into something large. And when she looked up to see what it was, she was pushed

back to the Other Nightwing who had appeared from the shadows. Then she recognized her.

"Oh no….." Was all Glory could say before everything went black.


End file.
